After Life
by Princess of Peas
Summary: What kind of afterlife does one get, if they never died in the first place?  Actual Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance,humor  had to pick the big ones though.Currently nothing more then a sample looking for acceptance or rejectionp
1. Chapter 1

_For the first nineteen years of my life, nothing happened…_

_Nothing at all._

_Then I met a man called the Doctor._

_A man who could change his face and showed me many wonderful things…_

_He took me with him in his amazing time machine…_

_I though it would never end._

_But then, came the Army of Ghost…_

_Then came Torchwood and the War…_

_That was the story of how I died._

_My name is Rose Tyler._

_This is my life after death…_

_As the Bad Wolf._

* * *

The darkness was only punctured by the bright moonlight. She moved steadily so as not to attract attention, but with a mission in mind. Her footsteps were heavy with exhaustion, but on she walked -- her goal not far now. 

Her breath caught as the soft buzz started behind her. Her eyes widened as the ancient instinct set in. Every nerve on end. Every muscle tense. She looked ahead, praying that she was closer then she believed at first. Panic and desperation set in when she realized it was not. The buzz grew louder and the instinct grew too. She gave in.

She ran.

* * *

"This is impossible," Tosh breathed, "Simple impossible." 

"Glad you like it," the Doctor teased and then laughed with Jack. The Doctor had arranged with Jack to take his team on a "field trip" with the TARDIS. Currently, the two men were standing at the controls, while the team wondered around in awe.

"Bigger on the inside, then on the out," Ianto mumbled. Jack nodded.

"A living machine," Owen questioned again.

"Yes," the Doctor repeated.

"So, basically," Gwen started, before spinning around to face the two, "You two are just showing off." The Doctor and Jack both looked up her. The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, I like her! She's smarter then you," the Doctor told Jack. Jack's jaw dropped, but before he could retort…

"Thanks," Gwenn grinned cheekily.

"Cheeky, too! Ha, ha, I love it," the Doctor laughed. Jack sighed and smiled.

"Glad you approve," Jack joked, "I liked her too… until now."

"Can't get rid of me, Jack," Gwen retorted, "You know you don't want too."

"And amnesia pills don't work," Owen supplied, "we'd have to kill her. Bit messy really." Gwen grinned at him.

"Stuck with her I suspect," Ianto finished, before looking away with concern, "You alright, Tosh?"

"Impossible," she mumbled. The Doctor sighed and Jack grinned.

"Sit her down Ianto," Jack instructed, "she's got a good case of 'culture shock,' that's all. Far stronger people have fared much worse then her, at the TARDIS…"

"Screams, shock, awe, complete disbelief," the Doctor listed, before mumbling, "Rose cried..,"

"She cried?! Rose Tyler? Our girl, Rose," Jack questioned.

"Well, don't know for sure if it was the TARDIS," the Doctor explained, "or the fact that we were being chased by a plastic, headless Mickey."

"What happened to his head?" Gwen questioned.

"I pulled it off," the Doctor explained, "needed it to find the Nesteen Consciousness controlling it. A head was the best way too."

"Was he alright," Tosh asked slowly. The Doctor smiled and started to answer…

The sudden jarring was massive. All six passengers went flying. When is was over, about ten minutes later, all were left battered, bruised, and in some very different positions.

Gwen and Ianto had landed together – feet up and backs on the floor.

Owen was somewhere _under_ the consul floor gratings– not exactly sure how he managed that.

Jack was tossed into the interior halls – landing somewhere close to the kitchens.

Only the Doctor and Tosh were left standing – _he_ holding on to the consul and _she_ onto _he_.

But everyone, everywhere, took a moment to right themselves, straighten out, escape, and fetch a quick snake (Jack) before asking the Doctor what had happened – well, everyone but Tosh.

"Alright there, Tosh?" the Doctor questioned, when she said nothing and didn't move her arms from around his waist or even crack open her eyes, "You've had a rough time since coming aboard, suspiciously short time too," he rambled on. Tosh peaked out one eye and looked cautiously at the Doctor.

"Would it be strange," she asked, "to want to do that again?"

The Doctor laughed.

* * *

Gingerly, she picked up and uncovered her head. Blinking rapidly, to dislodge any remaining dust from her eyes, and forced them to adjust to the scene before her. The thing before caused the most odd sensation she had ever felt. 

Something akin to a strange hope or passive wariness -- truly nothing would ever be the same.

In the back of her mind, she could still hear the oncoming buzz. Unconsciously and instinctively, she registered the ever-nearing danger – but she openly didn't care…

I mean, how often does a blue box fall out of the sky and crash land in front of you while your running for your life through the middle of a graveyard?

* * *

Soon (after assuring themselves and each other that they were all alright and a few jibes at the Doctor's "impeccable" driving skills from Jack) the four Torchwood members were standing opposite the Doctor and Jack who were close together facing the screen, but only one was actually reading. 

The screen said that everything inside the TARDIS was working and operational and the outside conditions were as follows:

LOCATION: Milky Way, Solar System, Planet Earth, Europe, United Kingdom, Cardiff

ENVIROMENT: Safe

ATMOSPHERE: Breathable

I could go on, but the fact is the rest is pretty boring. Actually the only thing that caused the Doctor's eyebrows to rise behind his glasses was…

"Well, Doc?" Jack interrupted the Doctor's thought, and once the spectacle-wearing alien was looking at the Captain he continued, "Where and when are we?"

"We are exactly where we started," the Doctor answered.

"We're still in Cardiff?!" Jack exclaimed.

"But 500 years in the future," the Doctor finished, "Actually November 3, 2507 at 7:48 in the evening, to be exact."

"We've traveled five hundred years into the future," Gwen asked, having overheard them, "Is it always this bouncy?" Jack laughed and the Doctor sighed. Owen was snickering too, but summoned himself together enough to ask…

"But why? What happens in five hundred years? What are we here for?"

"Don't know," the Doctor answered honestly, before grinning madly, "let's find out."

* * *

She put her hand against the wood and felt the vibrations under her fingers – as if this strange blue box was alive somehow. She was so fixated on the strange blue box the fell from the sky, that she almost didn't hear the buzz go silent and the thump of heavy footfalls behind her. 

Almost.

Her breath stopped. Her eyes widened. She was absolutely frozen with fear. She knew she was going to happen. She forced herself to swallow and leaned completely against the blue wood.

And then the door opened.

* * *

The Doctor opened the TARDIS's front door and reached down in time to catch the small girl that had literally fallen into his ship and his own arms. He looked down at her, and then up again at the others that were behind her – and apparently hunting her. 

"Hello! Can I help you?" he said pleasantly.

The beings before him were dressed in armor similar to that of the Judoon, but they were all taller and leaner then the Judoon. The weapons in their hands were long and thin, but glowed at both ends with obvious power and ferocity. One of them stepped forward.

"Hand over the human child," a high-pitched metallic voice it ordered and the Doctor had to fight to keep a straight face.

It didn't last. Bursting out laughing the Doctor was inconsolable for a brief moment and Jack, shaking his head, took over.

"What seems to be the trouble," he paused for a moment, "officer?" The being didn't seem to take note or either the laughing Doctor or the slightly confused Jack.

"The human must be returned to her place," the being continued, "she is in the wrong place. She must be returned." It stepped forward to take the child, but she only clung harder to the Doctor, who in turned sobered up and put a comforting hand on her back.

"Now, hold on a moment," the Doctor said, "Doesn't seem like she wants to go with you and personally I'm not apt to letting her."

"What she wants is irrelevant," the being answered, "As is your own beliefs. She is out of place," it paused and seemed to be looking at the Doctor (not that anyone could tell), "As are you. Identify yourselves."

At this the Doctor pushed the girl into Ianto's (who happened to be behind him) arms and gestured for Jack to get back.

"Sorry, just remembered. Previous appointment to keep, but don't worry we'll all make sure that she gets home all right. Thanks for you great service. Keep up the good work and all that," and with that, the Doctor closed the TARDIS doors and locked them, before racing up to the controls and then looking back at the girl he had just brought inside. Gwen was speaking to her.

"Are you alright, sweetheart? Are you hurt?" she asked softly.

"No, miss," the girl, whispered. Her voice soft with exhaustion and awe at her new surroundings. Tosh recognized it and smile gently.

"It's bigger on the inside?" she asked and the girl nodded and Tosh nodded too, "Yeah, it was a shock to us too." The girl gave a tired smile before looking up again, this time at the Doctor who was standing patiently with his hands in his pant pockets.

He smiled gently when she looked at him, before moving forward and extending a hand to her. She looked at it a moment before taking it and letting him lead her up to the Captain's chair in front of the consul. He sat her up on the seat and then stood before her arms crossed.

"Why were they chasing you," he asked gently. The girl shifted and looked sheepishly up at him, but his gaze was steady and calm, but determined. Through it all, she really felt like she could trust him.

"I wasn't where they think I should be," she answered, "according to them, I'm supposed to be processed at the Orphan Girl's Place…"

"You're an orphan, then," Gwen asked, her heart going out to the small child before them. The girl nodded and mumbled.

"What was that," Jack asked, coming up on her other side, "oh, come on now! My father always said if it was worth saying once, it was worth repeating," but the girl wouldn't repeat. Jack smiled and touched her shoulder, but quickly withdrew when she flinched.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, but the Jack assured her it was all right. The Doctor cleared her throat and redirected her attention back to him.

"What do you mean 'because of them'?" he revealed, much to everyone's (especially the young girl's) surprise, "Who are they? What have they done?" The girl's eyes went wide and she looked at them all, but none showed any sign of knowing what she did. She turned back to the Doctor and saw the same on his face.

"Are you serious?!" she asked, "You really don't know?"

"We're new to the area," Jack said by way of explanation, but the girl was not comforted.

"But they are _his_! They are everywhere! All over the world! _He_ owns the world and all of it and us!" she continued in awe, "How can you _not_ know?"

"Who is he? Who – what are they?" the Doctor continued to push.

"And who are you?" Ianto interjected, causing every head to turn to him. He just shrugged.

"Thought it would be nice to know."

"Good thinking, Ianto," Jack commented, before turning back to the youngest, "So? Let's hear it. And start with your name." The girl looked at them all before finding the Doctor's own calm façade once again. She sighed and sat up a little straighter, before beginning.

"My name is Rebecca Stanhope," she said, "I am 7 years old and those things are called Kankoor. They killed my parents and two bothers under the orders of our – _no_, their Lord and Master." Rebecca looked at them all, and while their seemed to be a bit more understanding, there was still some uncertainty. Jack and the Doctor looked at one another – a series of foreboding feeling come over them both.

"Who is this 'Lord and Master,' Rebecca?" Gwen asked, before either man could, but they both nodded wanting to know. Rebecca got an angry face, but took a deep breath before speaking.

"He owns everything," she whispered, "and everyone. He says his name is Adam Van Staten." Jack released his held breath, but the Doctor didn't seem to calm much. It was Owen who asked his next question.

"What were you doing running through a graveyard? I get that you didn't want to be killed…"

"They won't kill me," Rebecca interrupted suddenly, "they _want_ me for something. My mummy and daddy knew what it was, but wouldn't tell me. All they said was that I had to get somewhere safe – the only _free_ place…"

"Where's that," the Doctor asked quickly, suddenly interested in this rebel place. Rebecca looked up at him and said one word.

"Torchwood."

* * *

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Don't tell me until you read the next chapter, though!

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The Princess of Peas

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	2. Chapter 2

Gwen and Tosh looked at the little girl in front of them as the three of them sat in the TARDIS kitchen. She was hurriedly gulping a glass of orange juice and had already swallowed a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast. The two women were on a mission to befriend this little informant – and so they sipped tea and allowed her to continue eating.

All the while observing her.

She was a petite girl for her seven years, coming a little shy of 4foot. Her hair, though, was a clean, pretty shade dark blonde, in two very long braids that almost reached her waist, which well complemented her ivory skin tone and hazel-green eyes.

Though her mannerisms and clothing contradicted the obvious cleanliness of her physical appearance.

She had a dark grey, almost black, ankle length skirt that was obviously two or three sizes too big and held up by a tightly tied rope belt. She had on a pair of men's wool socks over another pair (probably her own) and under rubber galoshes on her feet, they were her size, and her upper half was layered with a black turtle-neck sweater, dark grey wool poncho, and a full body black hooded cloak/coat…

All the trappings of a person on the run.

All else that she had with her, and had been convinced to part with, consisted of a black scarf and gloves made of think wool and another pair of leather gloves to wear over the first. The only other thing she had was a dark colored leather purse, which even now remained under her outermost coat as she ate.

Gwen and Tosh didn't push, but rather sat back and quietly refilled her glass and plate as often as she liked – because it was obvious that she hadn't eaten in a very long time. But soon she pushed the plate away, having had her fill, and looked at the two older ladies.

"Can we get you anything else," Gwen asked with a smile, "maybe a cuppa tea?"

"Yes, please, miss," Rebecca said softly, "that would be very nice indeed."

"I'll get it," Tosh volunteered and smiled at both. While she moved to the stove to reheat the kettle, Gwen turned back to the young lady in front of her. Rebecca was squirmed under her gaze.

"Something wrong, Becca," Gwen asked using the nickname the girl had said. Becca shrugged, but answered anyway.

"I feel bad for eating all your food," she said, "and I have nothing to repay you for it."

"It's actually the Doctor's food," Gwen assured the young girl, "and he doesn't mind, I'm sure."

"He is a really wonderful person, isn't he," Becca said, awestruck, before gathering herself together and backtracking, "I mean, to take a stranger in and feed her and all…"

"Oh, I've had stranger," the Doctor's voice floated down from the doorway, and all three women looked to see him and the other three men in the doorway of the kitchen. The Doctor smiled.

"Just look at Jack," he teased the former Time Agent. Jack shook his head.

"Knew that was coming."

"Well, I can't right say that about Owen or Ianto," the Doctor defended while moving into the kitchen, "they still have the ability to die." Jack just grinned and sat down next to Gwen, across the table from the Doctor who had taken a seat next to Rebecca. Owen sat on Rebecca's other side and Ianto wandered over to Tosh to offer his assistance with the tea.

Shortly, everyone was sipping tea and just waiting. Rebecca put her teacup down and turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor," she asked, getting his attention (not that she didn't have it already), "I don't have anything to repay you for your kindness and because of that and your generosity… I feel silly in asking…"

"I like silly," the Doctor quipped.

"He's very good at that," Jack teased and the Doctor laughed. Rebecca smiled and swallowed.

"Umm… would it be too much trouble to ask you to take me to Torchwood," she asked without looking at him, and continued on quickly, "that's where I was heading… they know I'm coming… I think…and my daddy had something..," the Doctor turned her face towards him and smiled into her eyes.

"You had me at silly."

* * *

Five minutes later, they were all once again in the main control room watching the Doctor set coordinates into the TARDIS.

"Are you sure that you didn't get a street name or something," he asked Rebecca for (what seemed like to her) the three-hundredth time. She sighed.

"All daddy said was that I was to head to the biggest mausoleum in the cemetery," she repeated, "he said that someone knew I was coming and would be waiting for me there." The Doctor groaned and rubbed his face.

"Guess we fly," he groaned out.

"It's a space ship," Owen wondered out loud, "don't you usually fly?"

"You'd think so, but," the Doctor answered, all the while slowly pulling levers, "don't actually do all that much flying. Oh, well. Jack!"

"Yeah," the Captain answered

"When we get into the air," the Doctor ordered, while bracing his feet on the floor, "open the doors and direct me to this 'mausoleum' we're looking for. Ianto," the welsh men stepped forward, "take hold of those levers next to the blinking green light and hang on. The rest of you brace yourselves this could be bumpy… Oh, look our friends are still out there!"

He was looking at the screen and clearly spotted the Kankoor outside, surrounding the TARDIS, expecting the inhabitants to come back out. Oh, well…

"And here we go," the Doctor yelled, throwing one last lever. The TARDIS began shaking and slightly jerking, but obviously rising. The Doctor signaled to Jack and they were flying.

It only took Jack a few seconds to find the building they were looking for. Your really couldn't miss the massive stone building the sat at the base of a solemn looking hill. From above all Jack could tell was that it was massive and had a dome building, but those two facts alone led him to believe that whoever was entombed there was of money, prominence, fame, or maybe all three.

The doctor landed, mostly without injury, and instructed Jack to close the door and for Ianto to release his levers. Flipping a few more switches, he made his way around the consul, before coming back to the beginning flipping one more – all the while the tower in the middle was rising and lowering.

Minutes later, the tower stopped and the Doctor flipped a final switch. He then turned and smiled to everyone who was waiting.

"Well, lets go meet this so secret person," and with that he snagged his coat and headed for the door, with Jack and the others behind him.

Stepping out of the TARDIS, the group found themselves inside a long stone hall and at once realized that they were in fact inside the mausoleum itself. With the Doctor in the lead, the entire party made its way down the one main corridor – supposedly heading to the entrance.

(Say it with me now: "Wrong way, Doc!")

* * *

What they actually found was the main burial chamber all a light with some type of lanterns that evenly lined the walls of the circular room. Everything they say was made dark granite, but the floor, which was almost like obsidian in the dark color and sheen. The lanterns reflected off the floor and nearly doubled the light in the room.

Seven stationary objects, six sarcophagi and one large podium at the end, dominated the center of the room; the center sarcophagus was twice the size of any other and had three on its left and two on its right with the podium on the far right.

Each one was coated with a thick, undisturbed layer of dirt and dust, except for the thicker layers of white wax and sometimes a shot of color mixed in – as if candle upon candle were burned one on top off another. Currently, there was a lit white candle on each entombment.

On the floor, surrounding the sarcophagi, were layers upon layers of dead flowers from years of obvious devotion from someone. And, like the candles, there too were new flowers too. Someone had just been here, perhaps their mystery rendezvous.

This was similar with all the sarcophagi, except the last one. This was completely removed from all the flowers and candles. Who ever this person was, they didn't receive the same honors after death like his or hers companions.

"Who are these people," Tosh asked, "This much dedication screams prominence." Owen and Ianto agreed. Gwen moved slowly to the first sarcophagus and cleaned the nameplate on the top. She flicked on her pocket torch to read better in the dim light.

"'Celeste Carmichael – Smith,'" she read aloud, " 'Wife on Mickey Smith. Elite member of Torchwood. Born September 13, 1985. Married June 8, 2007. Died while defending her planet on October 3, 2009.' A wife and hero; that's how'd I'd like to go," she noted. Tosh nodded and moved to the second sarcophagus.

"Me, too," Tosh nodded absently, and then began reading, " 'Mickey Smith. Husband to Celeste Carmichael – Smith. Elite member of Torchwood. Adopted son of Peter and Jacquelyn Tyler. Brother to Jake Simmonds, Rose and Lily Tyler. Born January 15, 1981. Married June 8, 2007. Died while defending his planet on October 6, 2009,'" Tosh sighed, "Three days. I wonder if he even knew."

Gwen moved towards her and touched shoulder. All were silent for a moment, before Owen moved to the third.

"This one is 'Jake Simmonds,'" he announced, "I'm starting to see a trend." The girls and Ianto nodded. Jack stepped forward to read the center most sarcophagus, while standing on its right side.

" 'Pete and Jackie,'" he whispered, his soft tone not hiding the heaviness of his voice, he turn to the next one, "and 'Lily' here. God, she was only seven." He turned to look at the Doctor.

The nine-hundred-fifty-year-old alien stood alone, except for Rebecca, at the entrance of the chamber. His face was almost blank except for the solitary tears running down his face. His eyes traveled to the last sarcophagus, the bare one, and the podium.

With Rebecca by his side, he moved over to them and gently began to brush the dirt from the nameplate. Rebecca started on the podium and spoke before the Doctor, shocked.

"This one is for you, Doctor," Becca exclaimed, causing all the humans to look at her. But the Doctor never moved. Jack asked her to read it aloud.

" 'To the Doctor, may he never rest unless its within the stars above,'" Becca read, " 'Though he be not here with us, he stays within in our hearts forever. A hope for the impossible. A dream for the darkest times. To our Doctor, with all our love and all our faith and all our trust,'" she finished, "There's no dates."

" 'A hope for the impossible,'" Jack repeated, looking at the downtrodden Doctor, "Is that her?"

"No."

"No?" Jack asked coming around to stand across from him, "What do you mean 'no?'"

" 'Here would lie Rose Tyler, if in death she could lie,'" the Doctor read, he looked up at Jack, " 'Long live Bad Wolf.'"

* * *

Alright, there is the beggining two chapters! Give me your honest opinion and if you like it enough to keep it going -- I've got a few chapters ready and (if you ask nicely!) I'll get another one or two up... if you like it, that is.

Hit the button.

Give an honest review.

And keep watchin the skies... be ready to fly!

Sincerly,

The Princess of Peas

;p


	3. Chapter 3

Silence followed the words, at least until Jack let out a whoop of excitement. Everyone, but the Doctor, jumped and looked at Jack as if he was crazy.

"Who is the 'Bad Wolf'?" Ianto asked, after Jack had settled. The ex-Time agent turned to him.

"Rose Tyler!" he exclaimed, his smile ever growing, "She's alive!" He proceeded to laugh as his team talked behind him.

"Hang on," Gwen said to the others, "I thought she was in another universe? Trapped there?"

"That's what Jack said, but maybe we jumped universes," Tosh concluded.

"Jumped universes?" Gwen repeated and Tosh shrugged.

"Explains the flying," Owen grumbled, rubbing the back of his still sore head.

"She can't be," the Doctor breathed, but Jack turned to him.

"Why not?! I am!"

"What about Jack?" Gwen interjected, obviously confused.

"I can't die, right?" Jack asked and the team nodded, "Ever wonder why?"

"Figured you weren't human," Owen shrugged, "or just too damn stubborn." Jack smiled at him.

"Be that as it may," Jack admitted, "the real reason is that Rose, AKA Bad Wolf, brought me back to life the first time I died. Actually a little too far back, really, because now I'm immortal," Jack was actually smiling at the end of that. The Doctor just shook his head.

"It's been 500 years," he whispered.

"No one knows how old Bad Wolf is," Rebecca interrupted, bring the adults attention back to her; she shifted on her feet next to the Doctor's "memorial."

"What do you mean," Tosh asked.

"The Bad Wolf has been around since the beginning of Torchwood," Becca explained, "Mommy said that to see the face of the Bad Wolf is a gift and a sign that you are destined for greatness. The legends say that she is old and young, wonderful and terrible, wise and naïve, and trusting and suspicious all at the same time. To be her friend is a blessing, her enemy a curse because eventually it leads to your death. But the Bad Wolf doesn't kill without reason and always after the second chance, never anymore and never any less.

"I don't know who 'Rose Tyler' is, but the Bad Wolf is real. She runs Torchwood. She will ask you to help, but never insist upon it. People do it because they believe in her and if they are found out she will try and help them, but sometimes she's not there and they..," she faded off at the end, but everyone knew what she meant. They were all quiet in the solemn tomb, but then Ianto cleared his throat.

"You said the 'Bad Wolf runs Torchwood,' yes? But what about the aliens who come to earth," he asked, "Do you know what she does with them?" Rebecca nodded.

"Mommy and Daddy said that anyone who visits Earth first looks for the Bad Wolf and seeks conference with her," the little girl answered, "They know that she will treat them friendly and they all respect her. She is one of the most beloved, or hated, beings in the Universe, they say! And if do hate her, they most defiantly respect her.

"No one knows where she came from or how she knows what she knows, but she is the best thing to happen to us, us humans, I mean," she finished. Owen raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"How do you know so much about her, but you've never met her," he asked.

"My parents," Rebecca stated, a touch of pride mixed with the still harsh sadness in her voice, "They met her when they were both young and she even got them together. Daddy was actually working for her, when _the Master_," she spit out those two words, "approached him."

"He was a spy," Owen commented with an impressed face.

"Yes," Becca concurred, "but I don't know what he was doing. But that's who I'm supposed to give this too," she lifted the bag she wore and looked at all of them, her eyes falling on the Doctor last.

He was deep in thought through her entire story, his eyes had moved back and forth between the name plate in front of him and girl beside him. He nodded to nothing and looked again at Rebecca.

"Is she meeting you here?"

His question caught them all off guard, but Rebecca recovered and shook her head, indicating a negative.

"Then who," he pushed.

"I don't know," she replied.

"That would be me," came a voice and everyone turned towards the sound. The Torchwood members reached for their weapons and the Doctor for his sonic screwdriver. Rebecca dove behind the Doctor.

"Whoa, easy there," the figure in the doorway said, raising his hands.

The speaker was a younger man, mid-to late twenties, with short cropped hair, which would spike if it was gelled. In the dimmed light, you couldn't see his eye color, but you could tell that he was well-versed in the world he lived in. He stepped into the light and more details emerged: goatee the same color as his sandy hair and a slight smirk as he eyed each of the occupants, before looking up at the ceiling and quickly crossing himself.

But one thing stood out beyond all the rest…

"American, right? New York specifically?" Jack half questioned, half teased. The new comer's smirk grew slightly.

"How'd you guess," The thick Staten Island accent dripped from ever word, "You can put those down you know, I ain't going to hurt you, and besides it be rude."

"What would be rude," Owen bit.

"This space is already taken," the youth gestured to the entombed and then his own self, "and I ain't ready to join the dead yet, let alone deserve to be put in here with the likes of the Tyler's and family…"

"What's wrong with the Tyler's," the Doctor hissed, and that made the youth jump a little.

"You got it the other way around," the youth explained quickly, "I am not worthy to be buried in here with them, and they are a special kind of family. Besides there's a third reason I wouldn't hurt you and you shouldn't hurt me…"

"What's that?" Owen again bit, the youth grinned.

"Bad Wolf would kill us." The team looked to Jack, who looked between the Doctor and his team. The Doctor never took his eyes off the youth. The youth swallowed and nodded.

"Alright, how's this," the youth offered, "Rebecca Michele Stanhope?"

"Yes?" Rebecca called from behind the Doctor. The youth tried to look at her, but couldn't with the sarcophagus and the Doctor in the way, he shook his head.

"Gotta see you sweetheart."

Rebecca pulled on the Doctor's coat to catch the Time Lord's attention. He looked between her and the younger man twice before nodding and walking her around the sarcophagus into the youth's view. The younger man nodded and repeated her name.

"Yes."

"I greet you in the name of the Defender of the Earth," as he spoke, the Doctor heard his own words repeated back at him and looked at Jack for the briefest second.

"Long live Bad Wolf," Rebecca returned.


	4. Chapter 4

"Miss Stanhope," the youth said, and then passed a weary look at everyone else, "and everyone else," he cleared his throat, "My name is Xavier Daniels and, yeah, I'm from New York City." The adults looked over at him and then glanced at each other. Jack took control first.

"How did you know we would be here?"

" I didn't," Xavier clarified, "I was told I was looking for only a little girl – probably running for her life. What I wasn't told was that there six adults with her – and can I put my hands down now?!" He lifted his shoulders in emphasis. The team looked at one another and then at the Doctor, before they all nodded and relaxed together. Xavier sighed and lowered his eyes.

"Thanks."

"You didn't answer my question," Jack reiterated, "how did you know?"

"The higher-up's," Xavier revealed, "they knew that Bad Wolf was planning to meet Stanhope's next week, but when we heard about what happened… they sent me and my partner to wait for whoever was coming. I got the update about five minutes ago. Told my partner and she was coming alone, then came back to ready the back exit…"

The sound of running footsteps interrupted. The runner came around the corner and down the hallway towards the congregated burial chamber (pausing only slightly of a blue police box parked in a discrete cranny). The runner turned out to be a young woman about Xavier's age.

She was petite with a thick layer of medium chestnut hair, clipped to the back of her head. She was breathing hard and her doe like eyes were wide with fright. She took a few deep breaths and looked at everyone.

"We got to go," she said hurriedly, but defiantly with a more relaxed back American tone, significant of the western states. She was dressed similarly as Xavier too with a dark jacket and jeans.

"Why? What's up," Xavier asked taking her shoulders, but she wouldn't have any of it and shook her head.

"No, gotta go! Kankoor at the door," she replied. Xavier nodded and looked at the entire company.

"Not only is it bad," Xavier said with a small smile, "it rhymes." The woman hit him. Hard.

"This is no time for jokes, specifically your bad one's," Owen and Ianto snickered and the woman turned on them, "Do you want to die?" They claimed up and shook their heads, "Then lets go," they nodded. Tosh and Gwen exchanged grins, but the woman turned to Xavier and looked him in the eye. He shrugged.

"They was here when I got here," he explained and she rolled his eyes before heading out again. Xavier turned to the group.

"Time to go," and the very loud smash down the hall and around the corner just reassured that fact. The team gathered themselves and followed Xavier and his partner out the door and farther down the hall.

The Doctor and Jack were the last two out, with Rebecca between them. They hesitated for all of two seconds taking one last look before following the rest.

* * *

A half hour later, Xavier and his partner, named Kendra (but for some reason Xavier called her Kenny), led the Doctor, Rebecca, Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, and Ianto to an underground cavern and a very dark tunnel. Kendra and Xavier flipped on a couple of flashlights and led the way. Two minutes into the walk, everyone stopped at a very low, but deep growl.

"Who goes there?" a voice from the darkness growled. The team and the Doctor reached for weapons, but Xavier and Kendra stopped them. Xavier spoke up.

"Its Kenny..ow!…I mean its Kendra and me, Decra. We have the Stanhope girl," he looked behind him and shrugged, "a few others."

"You were not to bring anyone else," the voice, Decra, said, "Why did you?"

"They were in the Tyler Tomb," Xavier explained, "there were Kankoor coming… we couldn't just leave them!"

"Kankoor? Did they follow you?" Decra asked, still in the darkness.

"No, Decra," Kendra soothed, "we were out before they were even in the gate. We even took the longer way to be sure…"

"The longer way!" Owen complained. Gwen and Tosh smacked him and Ianto and Jack shushed him.

"Silence, stranger!" the Dacra voiced ordered, coupled with another, more dangerous, growl.

"Decra! What's going on here?"

This new voice was deeper, older, and a touch more dangerous (if that was possible) was commanding. But even so, Xavier and Kendra seemed to relax a touch more.

"Beo," Kendra breathed, "its me and Xavier. We've brought Rebecca Stanhope and a few more. They were altogether at the Tyler Tomb when…"

"When the Kankoor found you," Beo's voice interrupted, "Yes, I heard, but that doesn't answer my question. Decra, what is going on?"

"I do not believe these strangers should be allowed into the den, Beo," Decra snarled. Beo seemed to chuckle.

"I can see that," there was the sound of footsteps. Four feet actually…

Into the light, walked a brown and graying wolf whose shoulder cam up to Jack's hip. He was massive and impressive with paws the size of dinner plates and piercing blue eyes. He looked at the entire company, only to let his gaze drop to Rebecca, who was hiding behind the Doctor's trench coat. The wolf chuckled.

"Don't be frightened, small one," Beo addressed the child before sitting on his hind legs, "I can tell you are the child of Arthur Stanhope. I was only a younger when he was here as a child, but I remember him well." Rebecca stayed behind the Doctor, but looked closer at the overly large beast.

"How?" she asked.

"He can smell it," the Doctor answered for the wolf, who cocked his head at the Doctor, "he…they, I suspect, are members of the Amplus-lupus species from Ferus in the Gamma system. Am I right?" The wolf bobbed his head.

"Correct, stranger," Beo said, "How did you come about this? The only one who knows our ancestry is the Bad Wolf herself. I can hear your heart…no, hearts. You are not human, are you?"

"No," the Doctor said. The wolf nodded again.

"Then who are you? And why do you come here?"

"We told you, Beo," Xavier sighed, " they were at the Tyler Tomb…"

"I was not asking you," Beo interrupted, "I am asking them."

"We want to see the Bad Wolf," Jack spoke up, "We are old friends. Very old."

"To see the Bad Wolf is a privilege," Decra growled, and coming into the light revealing himself to be black and brown with golden eyes, and only slightly smaller then Beo, "Not a right!" Jack raised his hands.

"Just tell her that the Doctor," he gestured to the Time Lord, "and Captain Jack Harkness, "he pointed to him self, "are here – really here – and really want to see her." Decra was ready with a response, but stopped as Beo started to chuckle.

"I am sure you do, but what of the others?"

"My name is Gwen Cooper," the welsh woman spoke up, " This is Mr. Ianto Jones, Ms. Toshiko Oianta, and Dr. Owen Harper," she indicated each in their own turn, "we all work for Jack at…" She stopped short at the Doctor's warning glare. Beo saw it too and called them on it.

"Torchwood," Jack spoke again, "I run Torchwood on the other side of the void…"

"He lies!" Decra barked, "Bad Wolf leads Torchwood!"

"Peace, Decra!" Beo ordered with a strong growl, "You can not tell me you smell any lie on these. They speak the truth."

"But Beo..," Decra tried to argue, only to receive another growl in retaliation. Beo cast his blue gaze on Jack.

"Is your Torchwood, good?"

"Yes," Jack stated firmly, "Rebuilt from the mishandlings of a corrupt system… in the honor of the Doctor and Rose Tyler. To help and protect."

"As was this Torchwood," Beo said with a nod, "Rebuilt not only in the honor of the Bad Wolf's Doctor, but also the Tyler's," the wolf seemed to continue, but paused and cocked his head. He glanced to Decra, who too seemed to have heard something. The older wolf dropped his volume and his tone accepted a trace of worry.

"But now is no longer the time for introduction," he said, "Come! Quickly! We must get inside. Xavier and Kendra lead on. Everyone into the Den. Decra with me!" With an affirmative everyone sprang into actions: the humans leading and the wolves at the rear. Jack caught the Doctor's attention as they ran.

"Even a universe away," he teased, "your still Rose Tyler's Doctor."

"Be quiet! Hurry!" Decra ordered with a snap.

Minutes later, a troop of Kankoor marched by the mouth of the cave. Search lights beaming in.

* * *

Across waters, over miles of road, and at the end of a well known, well traveled way, are the shores of Bad Wolf Bay.

Winds blowing…

Waves crashing…

Blonde hair flipping…

Brown eyes glistening…

Tears streaming…

Here stands Rose Tyler.

She appears the same as the first time she was here. In every way.

Face…

Body position…

Demeanor.

The same way she looked that last time she had been alive.

Five and half hours.

She stands for five and half hours, per his instruction.

For five and half hours she is alive.

But right now…

Time is up.

Turning into the wind, she sighs before trudging back up the beach to the awaiting vehicle and companions.

The first time it was family. Now it is close friends.

But the sentiment is the same.

As she gets into the ride, she puts Rose Tyler back into death…

And relives, again, as the Bad Wolf.


	5. Chapter 5

"This place is huge!" Everyone agreed.

As Rebecca had stated, the cavern they had walked through led to the Den, as the wolves, Xavier, and Kendra had explained.

The Den was the living and working epicenter for Torchwood and the refugees that it took in (along with the occasional Time Lord and other-void-side-Torchwood team).

The door they came through opened into a huge area. It was shaped like the silo from the End of the Universe, but instead of housing a Rocket projected at "Utopia" it housed – well, houses!

At least the doors, that seemed to be cut right into the walls. Something akin to the Pueblo cave dwellings in the American West. Hundreds of doors were staked level upon level going from the atop, approximately some ten to fifteen stories above where they were standing and extending on downwards for another seven or eight bellow them.

Bridges, balconies, ladders, staircases, ramps, and even some, what look like, swinging ropes connected the levels together. An intricate and useable living situation, considering everything, but it was missing something…

"This way," Xavier indicated heading to a downwards staircase, before heading down with Kendra. The group followed the young couple and wolves down, passing all the levels to reach the very bottom.

"Where are all the people?" Tosh asked, acknowledging the question on everyone's minds. Beo sniffed.

"They have retreated into the deepest most caves," he answered, "a mere precaution."

"Against us," Owen voiced and the wolf nodded.

Reaching the bottom, Xavier led the way to a seemingly innocent wall and touched it. The wall slid up to reveal a touch keypad, into which he obediently typed a code. The keypad disappeared again and a larger part of the wall slid open – a doorway.

Leading ahead of Kendra, Xavier entered and beckoned the rest to follow. They entered a very large room, a conference type room, with a large table in the middle and a few rows of computers aligning the far walls. The lights were all off.

"Peace, comrades," Beo called, "These ones will not harm us. They are friends of the Bad Wolf. Come out and greet them."

There was no sound or any movement following Beo's little speech, but finally a figure stood and the lights came on.

This guy, or more accurately alien, was at least seven feet tall with broad shoulders (at least four feet wide), dark skin, and extensive scaring and markings cut into his skin. A specifically ragged one ran over the majority of his face including his right eye (that was white as apposed to the almond colored one on the left), nose, upper lips, and mouth. Something had clawed him diagonally downwards from right to left. His hair, oddly, was fairly long and braided individually into corn rows and on down to the tips.

"Who are these, Beo - wolf?" Its deep voice bellowed, revealing its two rows of yellow, sharp, pointy teeth.

"They are friends of Bad Wolf herself," Beo repeated calmly, "They brought the young Rebecca Stanhope. They are no threat to, I assure you, Gorik."

It, Gorik, and Beo stared at one another for some time then, measuring each other up. Gorik nodded then and turned to the still empty room and grunted, "Come out."

Hesitantly, it seemed, people and another of Gorik's alien type appeared from the floor and from behind the terminal desks. All still tense and ready for anything.

"Hi," Jack smiled and waved, "How's everything?"

* * *

Hours later (after Gorik and the others had released the hidden people – well, humans, aliens, and more wolves), a bell was rung and everyone gathered together, to eat and communicate. To connect.

The Doctor stood aloof from all this as he leaned against a far wall. And even though he was physically apart from the central collection of people, he was well aware of what was going on around him.

He cast his gaze on Gorik and several who had been in the conference room, talking to Jack and Tosh about the Kankoor and what they did and didn't know. Decra was there, too, along with another two wolves. A war council and commentary.

Passing his eyes of the throngs, he caught site of Owen in his medical element with the Torchwood Doctor, Dr. Angela Smith. She was young and hadn't even fully completed med-school or taken a test because she had been attacked by the Kankoor. Owen was checking over some of her treatments and practices as well as giving her advice and taking a few of the children that had been brought to them. From her face, the Doctor observed, she was eating this up and listening to every breath.

He smiled and moved his eyes again. This time he caught Gwen and Ianto with Rebecca. They were with a few older ladies and were busily getting together dinner portions for the Doctor, Jack, and the rest of their little team. Rebecca nodded at something and looked back at where the Doctor was standing. He smiled at her and she returned it. She had been making sure that he was still there. She turned back to the task at hand and he moved on.

His eyes caught the sight of Xavier and Kendra in a remote corner, looking very content to just be there together. He had suspected that they were more then partners, but the little kisses they were exchanging confirmed it. His smile remained.

Pulling his eyes back he looked over the humans, wolves, and various other aliens that were mingling about. They were laughing, talking, eating, and generally living together. She had done this, his Rose.

'_Humans,' _the Doctor mused_, 'Dangerous, stupid, brilliant, caring, compassionate humans. Incredible! Taking in complete strangers – each other and aliens – and banding together to survive. You did this, Rose. The Bad Wolf – My sweet Rose…"_

"Lost in your thoughts, Doctor?" The Time Lord sighed and looked over at Beo, a sad smile on his face. The wolf nodded.

"I, too, miss her," the wolf admitted sitting beside the Doctor and the Doctor joined him.

"I'd never thought I'd see her again," the Doctor revealed, "I tried everything I could think of, but I'd never actually believed… And now here I am and she's not."

"So close, but yet so very far," Beo remarked, "as Red would say." The Doctor nodded and looked at him.

"Who is Red?" he asked. The wolf lay beside him, but kept his eyes on the crowd before them.

"Red," Beo explained, "She is a magician that has been here for nearly the same length of time as Bad Wolf. Red and the Bad Wolf are very close companions and friends," he readjusted himself, "Red and my own mate, Sari, are with the Bad Wolf on her yearly pilgrimage…"

"Bad Wolf Bay?" the Doctor guessed, and the wolf looked at him, but her was far away, "That was the last place we saw each other, where we said 'Goodbye.' She told me she loved me and I wasted time and finally ran out of time… Never got to tell her…"

"She knew," Beo assured, "She knew then and knows now, Time Lord." The Doctor looked at him with a raised eyebrow, asking an unspoken inquiry and making Beo chuckled.

"My father," Beo began, looking back over the congregation before them, "was our pack's leader when we first arrived on Earth. Our first world was dying, he told me, we had to leave in order to survive. Neither he nor any of the first expected the Bad Wolf to greet us personally and grant us citizenship on this planet. My father pledge the entire pack's allegiance to the Bad Wolf and she brought us to a place that we called our own for a few many years, but then the Kankoor came and we tried to defeat them, many were killed or injured in the process. My mother was heavily pupped with me and siblings, but was injured. We would have been over run, but then the Bad Wolf and Red showed up and sent the Kankoor back, but the damage was done. Too many were injured or dead for us to remain, my mother was gravely wounded and begged that I be saved…" Beo paused and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I know the feeling," the Doctor said thinking of his own parents and people. Beo cleared his throat and continued.

"I was cut from my mother's body, along with my brother and three sisters. I was the only one to make it back to this place. My father let her wean me from fluids to solids and was a great companion for the Bad Wolf. He taught and trained me to be who I am now, his successor, but so did she," Beo concluded. The Doctor nodded again.

"Teaching just by being," the Doctor mused aloud, "Yep, that sounds like Rose."

"You are familiar with her ways, too," Beo teased, but then sobered, "She was my mother and now one of my greatest friends. Her and Red. They assisted me in finding Sari, without which Decra wouldn't be here…"

"Decra is your son?" the Doctor interrupted and Beo nodded, "He's trying to please you and live up to your standards… Explains the cave."

"He will be good," Beo affirmed, "He admires the Bad Wolf and Red. They have considered asking him to join them this year, but events played and he wasn't able to leave with them."

"He's a little peeved at that, huh?"

"Oh, yes." They chuckled together and then lapsed into silence together. Ianto, Gwen, and Rebecca were making their ways towards them. The wolf cocked his head again.

"Why do you stay, Time Lord?"

"Because I need to see Rose. Because that little girl there," the Doctor pointed the approaching Becca, "needs me, too. And because we can help and we want to help," his tone was thick and strong. No second thoughts. No backing down. Beo glanced at him and nodded.

"Then I am glad to know you, Doctor." The Doctor smiled and crossed his legs.

"Nice to know you too, Beo." The Doctor took the tray of food from Becca and held while she made herself comfortable in his lap. He smiled down at her and handed back the tray.

"Now, then what do we have here?" he asked.

* * *

He shifted back and forth on his feet, impatient to be gone from this place – no matter how magnificent it was. The double doors before him opened and the reason for his stay sauntered out. She smiled at him and lead him by the hand back into the room she had just left.

"Are you alright?" she asked and he said he was.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" she asked and he said he was.

"Did you miss me?" she asked and he said he did.

Hours later, he had a full stomach and a healthy libido. He lay there looking at her and smiled. She leaned up and smiled back. She climbed atop him and kissed him softly, before leaning down and whispering to him.

"Do you love me?" she asked and he said he did.

"Tell me about the Bad Wolf's plans?" she asked and so he did.

* * *

He had left, sneaking out and never getting caught – just like she planned. She sat up in bed and sipped something expensive. She was waiting, but she didn't have to wait long.

The door to her chamber opened again and in stepped Adam Van Staten like he owned everything – well, he did.

He grinned wolfishly at her and joined her in bed. She kissed him and started on his clothes.

"I need a shower," she whispered to him.

"Buisness first," he mumbled, "Did you get it?" She cocked an eyebrow at him and shot him a coy smile.

"You didn't watch?" Van Staten laughed and nodded, she sighed, "Then you know…"

"First thing tomorrow," Van Staten announced, "I am going to get rid of Torchwood permenatly." She sighed.

"First thing?" she asked, reaching for his zipper. Van Staten groaned.

"Okay, maybe not first," he admitted.

"What will you do with the Bad Wolf?" she asked, moving to his shoes.

"I have very special plans for her," Van Staten grinned, "Something with leather and chains, I think." The woman laughed, and stood up to lead him into her bathroom.

"Will you share?"

"Only if I have too," Van Staten stated.

"So that's a 'no,'" she teased. Van Staten laughed and nodded, while closing the bathroom door behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor looked down at the little girl beside him. Rebecca had made friends with a few of the other girls, but had stuck next to his side none-the-less. He sighed, seemed he had that affect on woman and girls. He sifted and looked around the large room that the Torchwood team, Rebecca and, he were given. Gwen and Tosh were facing one another. Owen was sitting up asleep (he had come in later after a few hours at the impromptu clinic and sat down and never gotten back up). Jack and Ianto were curled together, but only one was asleep.

"Not sleeping either, Doc," Jack whispered from beside Ianto, "Me neither." The Doctor shrugged and put his fingers to his lips in silent motion, before pointing to Becca beside him. Jack nodded and looked to the door and then back to the Doctor. The Doctor nodded.

"Quiet in there," Jack said once they were sitting outside their door, "I don't think Owen's ever been that quiet…" He chuckle and the Doctor joined him. The two sat in silence just looking out into the immense compound that was the Den.

"Do you think she's changed much," Jack asked suddenly, but there was no mistaking who he was talking about. The Doctor nodded.

"Its been over five hundred years," the Doctor sighed, "Change is inevitable."

"Is she still Rose?"

"Maybe."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, truly Jack," the Doctor grumbled and running a hand through his messy brown hair, "I hope...," he sighed, "I hope she is still at least partly Rose… and not just the hair and the eyes, but _really_ Rose."

"Me, too," Jack whispered, "I really miss her, ever since you left me… I've missed you both," he turned to look at the Time Lord, "I'm glad I jumped on the TARDIS when I did and that I re-met you and met Martha." The Doctor raised an eyebrow and looked at the ex-Time agent with a small smile.

"I really am," Jack insisted, "And I'm really, _really_ glad we're here, too!"

"Me, too, Jack," the Doctor, replied, "I'm glad we're here too." Jack nodded and looked back out and the Doctor mimicked him.

They were quite for a long while, just a sense of each other's presence was comfort enough – even though they both felt the void that was the spirit of Rose Tyler.

"Promise me something."

"What?"

"We don't leave with out her. Period."

"Even if she fights us?"

"Especially if."

"She could hate us," there was silence and raised eyebrows, "Your right she won't hate us."

"Not our Rose."

"Yeah, not our Rose."

"So do you promise," the Doctor asked again, "Do you, Jack Harkness, promise me to help ensure that Rose Tyler returns with us on the TARDIS?"

"I solemnly swear, Doctor," Jack promised, "Rose will come home with us."

"Good," the Doctor said sticking his hand out for Jack's to shake, "And thank you."

"My pleasure, Doctor," Jack said shaking his hand. The two smiled and embraced one another with a laugh.

* * *

"Do you ever think you could go back to being Rose Tyler?" 

"That's an impromptu question," the Bad Wolf responded, "Why would I?"

"I guess for a couple reasons," Red mused and guiding the jeep, "What about after the war?"

"I'll help Torchwood and the Earth rebuild, you know that."

"Yeah, but this trip and Stanhope's research," Red sighed, "Just got me thinking."

"About me?"

"The future in general. I won't need to do this forever… and neither will you…"

"So I should do what," Bad Wolf snapped, "Go back to being a shop girl? You think I can do that?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Travel just like you used to."

"Do you know anyone with a Time machine?"

"Maybe you can't see all of time, but what about the rest of space? There are plenty who would take you anywhere you want to go…"

"What about the Earth?"

"What have you been doing for the last 500 years, if not readying Torchwood and various others to be ready to take over if something should happen to you? They aren't naïve anymore, BW! They can… have… _are_ prepared to take over."

"Red is right, Bad Wolf," Sari said from the back seat, "The humans can fend for themselves."

"I know they can, but I still need them…"

"You have to let go someday…"

"And I will!"

"When?"

"I…"

"The Doctor wouldn't want you to do this forever…"

"The Doctor isn't here!"

"And if he came back?"

"He can't. It's impossible."

"'He's been wrong before,'" Red recited, "Your words, BW."

"I don't want to talk about this…"

"We should have talked about this along time ago! We could be done in a week or a month!"

"But we ain't done yet!"

"Alright! Enough both of you!" Sari ordered, "I do not mean to presume to over rule either of you, but this is childish! You are the leaders of Torchwood, the most powerful group on the planet and a respected agency of many galaxies and planets… and you yourselves are respected even more! What is the point of this?"

"The point is that no war last forever," Red stated, "not even this one!"

"When we get to the end, we can worry about it then…"

"No, because by then it will be too late and the world will already be leaning everything on your shoulders, BW. And you don't want to be the center of attention, do you? The ruler of it all?"

"No," Bad Wolf insisted, "I don't. So what do you suggest?"

"We leave."

"Leave?! Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Why, 'we'?"

"You don't actually expect me to take over, do you?" Red and the Bad Wolf laughed.

"Then who?"

"Who else?"

"Xavier," they said together.

"We've got the who…but now the where…where do we go?"

"Anywhere…Everywhere!"

"How?"

"Call in a few favors."

"Okay…when?"

"As soon as possible and as _quietly_ as possible."

"I hear that," Bad Wolf laughed, "I guess all that is left is what…"

"What?"

"Yeah. As in '_what_ do we call ourselves?'"

"Your true names," Sari answered from the back seat again, "The Bad Wolf and Red need to be laid to rest."

"What happens if the world needs us again?"

"Sometimes a child must fall to learn to walk without its hands being held," Sari stated softly, "and even more often they mustn't be caught or helped back up."

"That voice of experience is ringing again, Sari," Bad Wolf teased, "I wonder where you could have learned that."

"My own past life and my child's current one," the wolf chuckled. The two in the front laughed too. Sari spoke again.

"Will you take anyone with you?"

"Are you asking?"

"Yes." The two in the front glanced at each other and nodded.

"Yes."

" Then Beo and I…"

"We insist."

"And if the Doctor returns?" There was silence as both driver and back seat passenger looked to the final rider. She was silent and then nodded to herself.

"I couldn't go with him…"

"What?!"

"…without the three of you."

"Oh." More silence.

"Would he be okay with that?"

"He'd have to be." The three ladies laughed.

* * *

The morning sun reached the horizon and three figures in the distance. The Doctor, Jack, and Beo stood facing the rising sun and wind. 

"Red sky at night – sailors delight," Jack recited, "red sky in morning…"

"Sailors take warning," Beo finished, "And it true this morning, too. There is something in the air…"

"Yeah, I can feel it too," Jack agreed.

"Something coming," Beo growled lightly, "A distinct change."

"Battle? The end?" Jack guessed.

"Change," the Doctor announced. Both wolf and man looked up at him for an explanination.

"A change is approaching…"

* * *

Farther still, three more figures stopped to escape their metal confines for a short time and looked in the direction of the rising sun. 

"Do you feel that?" Red commented.

"Yes," Bad Wolf responded, "something in the air…"

"Something different or out of season," Sari added. The Bad Wolf took a step forward and closed her eyes. She breathed deeply and opens her eyes again.

"The oncoming storm."

* * *

The Doctor turned abruptly. It was only a moment… no less then that… less then a second, but it was there. As instant as the touch of an other Time Lord, the mental caress was. 

He didn't know how. He didn't know why. But there she was.

"Bad Wolf."

* * *

_Here be a belated appology to yon good readers:_

_SORRY FOR THE DELAY!!!_

_It was my intent to have these up way sooner, _

_but then a little bugger called life got in the way and you know how it can get..._

_Anyway, here they are and there you go. _

_The Doctor and Bad Wolf/ Rose are getting closer minute..._

_What's Van Staten got planned..._

_Who's the traitor..._

_The mystery woman..._

_Find out..._

_whenever I post agian...?!_

_Happy Thanksgiving, all!_

_Sincerly, the Princess of Peas_


End file.
